Zack Polanski: What period or moment in your life brought you the most joy? — FLAPSS

The question

What period or moment in your life brought you the most joy?

Originally asked

The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A

Asked in 52 of the 131 consecutive instalments of The Guardian's The Q&A harvested on 2026-08-29.

You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.

ZP

Zack Polanski

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

Last summer with my boyfriend Richie. We had no plans – it was just wonderful.

The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 December 2025 source ↗

Others on this question

View all 577 →

Omid Djalili British stand-up comedian and actor

When my bowels move freely and without complications.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 7 August 2010 source ↗

Benedict Cumberbatch English actor

With the sun on my face and a beer in my hand, the morning after I had been in a car-jacking in South Africa.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 January 2012 source ↗

Alan Johnson British politician

When my son was born in 2000.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 24 October 2009 source ↗

Anywhere with her, while she lived.

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, October 2012 source ↗

More from Zack Polanski

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Question How close have you come to dying? Death & what remains

Catching Covid. I don’t think any of us know what we’re messing with still to this day.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 December 2025 source ↗

Question What accomplishment matters most to you? Craft & work

Getting elected with 85% of the vote.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 December 2025 source ↗

Question As a child, what career or life did you imagine for yourself? Identity & self

I wanted to be in the WWF – the wrestling one, not the wildlife one.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 December 2025 source ↗

Question What thought won't let you sleep? Daily life

I would say something earnest like stopping the far right, but the truth is nothing keeps me awake at night.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 December 2025 source ↗

Question If you could revise one chapter of your past, what would you change? Failure & regret

Nothing. Tony Benn, one of my favourite politicians, said, “I don’t care where you’ve been, I care where you’re going.”

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 December 2025 source ↗

Question What would you most want to leave your children? Death & what remains

I’ve got no kids, but I’d like us to leave a planet for everyone’s children.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 December 2025 source ↗

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